05/494211

09/23/1975

08/02/1974

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273/257

A63F3/00; A63F3/04

273/134

Oechsle, Anton O.

Grass, Joseph J.

I claim

1. Game board apparatus, comprising: a game board having a playing path, the playing path having a plurality of areas designating various types of vote-getting practices, the game board having areas designating various States, certificates for indicating participation in the various vote-getting practices, chance means for determining the number of areas along the path through which the players advance in turn, marker means for each player for indicating the area to which the respective player has advanced in accordance with the chance means, a set of popular vote cards for each player, the popular vote cards for each player being in more than one denomination, one side of each popular vote card having a designation as to how many votes are represented by the card and the other side being free of any such designation, the popular vote cards being of a size to be superimposed on the individual State designating areas, the sets of popular vote cards having means for visually distinguishing the set of popular vote cards of each player from the set of popular vote cards of each other player, the playing path enabling the players to advance in turn to the vote-getting practice areas and thus receiving the certificates, and upon landing on the same vote-getting area again, receiving votes in the form of the popular vote cards which can be used in winning one or more States, and a separate electoral vote certificate corresponding to each State to be issued to the player who wins the respective State.

2. Game board apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the States are separated into at least two regions so that voting can take place successively from one region to another.

3. Game board apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the markers have means for visually distinguishing the marker of one player from the marker of any other player, and wherein the marker-visual-distinguishing means for any one player corresponds to the popular-vote-card-distinguishing means for that player.

4. Game board apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the visual distinguishing means comprises a different color code for each player, and wherein the marker for each player has the same color code as the respective color code on the popular vote cards.

5. Game board apparatus, comprising: a game board having a playing path, the playing path having a plurality of areas designating various types of vote-getting practices, the game board having areas designating various States, certificates for indicating participation in the various vote-getting practices, chance means for determining the number of areas along the path through which the respective player has advanced in accordance with the chance means, a set of popular vote cards for each player, the popular vote cards being of a size to be superimposed on the individual State designating areas, the sets of popular vote cards having means for visually distinguishing the set of popular vote cards of each player from the set of popular vote cards of each other player, the playing path enabling the players to advance in turn to the vote-getting practice areas and thus receiving the certificates, and upon landing on the vote-getting practice area again, receiving votes in the form of the popular vote cards which can be used in winning one or more States, wherein the popular vote cards for each player are in more than one denomination, one side of each popular vote card having a designation as to how many votes are represented by the card and the other side being free of any such designation, wherein the markers have means for visually distinguishing the marker of one player from the marker of any other player, and wherein the marker-visual-distinguishing means for each player corresponds to the popular-vote-card-distinguishing means for that player.

6. Game board apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the visual distinguishing means comprise color coding.

7. Game board apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the States are separated into at least two regions so that voting can take place successively from one region to another.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the art of game board apparatus and playing methods.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

The following U.S. Pat. Nos. are made of record: 1,907,255; 2,209,117; 2,930,621; 3,368,816; and 3,525,526.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed toward method and apparatus that requires both skill and chance to win and that is suitable for players in a broad age group. A specific embodiment of apparatus includes a game board having a playing path with a plurality of areas designating various types of vote-getting practices and indicia related to each respective vote-getting practice area indicative of the number of popular votes for the respective vote-getting practice and with a plurality of other areas designating various States and indicia related to each respective State area indicative of the respective number of electoral votes that the State represents. The players advance along the playing path through the number of spaces determined by chance means such as dice. The area on which a player lands is marked by a distinctive marker. As play commences and a player lands on a certain vote-getting area, the landed player acquires a certificate or receipt which entitles the landed player to receive popular votes corresponding to the vote getting practice represented by the certificate the next time that landed player lands on the area representative of the same vote-getting practice. When play has progressed to the point that voting can begin, the players cast their votes for the States within one region or section of the country. The players cast their votes by placing their votes on one or more State areas. Each player determines how many votes to cast on a particular State in order to win the State's electoral votes. THe votes are represented by cards which are of a size that they can be placed on the desired State area or areas. The popular votes or vote cards having different vote denominations are distinguishable so that the popular votes of one player can be distinguished from those of the other players. One side or face of each popular vote card has a designation as to how many votes are represented by the card and its other side is free of any such designation. In that the players place their votes face down on the State areas the opponents are unaware of the number of votes the other players cast for any State until the voting for that region or section of the country is complete. Assuming there are four players, the player or candidate receiving the least number of electoral votes in that region drops out, and play resumes for the next region by the remaining players acquiring popular votes by the method steps indicated above, and thereafter voting as indicated above for the States in the next region, and so on. The player or candidate with a predetermined number of electoral votes is the winner. By an alternate method of play, all the players can stay in the game and vote in all the regions with the player with the highest number of electoral votes being the winner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a game board of the apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of distinctive markers;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pair of dice;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of popular votes;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of instructional cards;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of receipts or receipt cards; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of electoral vote cards or certificates.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a game board 10 having a playing path 11 and a field 12 representing various States. The playing pathe 11 is shown to extend around the perimetral margin of the board 10. The board 10 is illustrated as being square although it can be constructed of other shapes, if desired. The path 11 is shown to comprise areas 13 through 52.

The starting place of the path 11 is area 13 designated Campaign Begins. Areas 14 through 17, 19 through 22, 24 through 27, 29 through 32, 34 through 37, 39 through 42, 44 through 47, and 49 through 52 are considered to be vote-getting areas in that they represent various vote-getting practices used in political campaigns. Areas 14, 24, 34, and 44 represent one type of vote-getting practice, namely the use of Campaign Buttons worth 25 votes, areas 15, 25, 35, and 45 represent another type of vote-getting practice, namely the use of Campaign Posters worth fifty votes, areas 16, 26, 34 and 46 represent another type of vote-getting practice, namely the use of Billboards worth 75 votes, areas 17, 27, 37 and 47 represent a type of vote-getting practice, namely the use of Newspaper Ads worth one hundred votes, areas 19, 29, 39 and 49 represent a type of vote-getting practice, namely the use of Radio Ads worth 125 votes, areas 20, 30, 40 and 50 represent a type of vote-getting practice, namely the use of Campaign Tour with 150 votes, areas 21, 31, 41 and 51 represent the type of vote-getting practice, namely the use of TV Ads worth 175 votes and areas 22, 32, 42 and 52 represent a type of vote-getting practice, namely the use of $200 A Plate Dinner worth two hundred votes. Each type of vote-getting practice area for example areas 14, 24, 34 and 44 are distinctively coded as by the same color and the color coding of one type area differs from the color coding of any other vote-getting practice area. Each vote-getting area also has indicia indicative of the number of popular votes which are peculiar to that vote-getting practice. Areas 18, 28, 38 and 48 are considered to be instructional areas and are designated Campaign News. There are a plurality of instructional cards 53 (FIG. 5) related to these instructional areas. Areas 23 and 43 are also instructional areas. Area 23 contains the instruction, "You may have any available receipt," and area 43 contain the instruction, "You may turn in any receipt for value." Area 33 is also an instructional area in that it contains the instruction, "Shoot Dice Odd Numbers Go BACK Even Numbers Go FORWARD."

The field 12 is shown disposed within the path 11. The field 12 is divided into a plurality of sections or regions 54, 55 and 56 by means of respective distinctive lines 57, 58 and 59. The lines 57, 58 and 59 are preferably of contrasting colors. The regions 54, 55 and 56 contain the following State areas having the indicated number of electoral votes:

Reference Region State Character Electoral Votes ______________________________________ 54 Pennsyltucky 60 5 54 Minninois 61 3 54 Oklaraska 62 8 54 Mippississi 63 7 54 Idakota 64 1 55 North York 65 2 55 Tennesota 66 7 55 Utio 67 3 55 Florifornia 68 6 56 Illiginia 69 8 56 New Carolina 70 4 56 Abalama 71 4 56 Michachusetts 72 2 56 South York 73 6 56 Texizona 74 2 56 Calivania 75 5 ______________________________________

The game can be played by two, three or four players. One of the players can serve initially as the election judge. Each player is assigned one of the distinctive markers 76 through 79 which serve to mark the respective player's landed position along the path 11. The markers can be made distinctive by color, for example the marker 76 can be red, the marker 77 can be yellow, the marker 78 can be blue, and the marker 79 can be green. Play begins at the Campaign Begins area 13 and the players advance in turn in accordance with the number indicated by a chance device such as the pair of dice 80.

There are also provided distinctive votes or vote cards 81 through 84. The cards 81 through 84 are preferably the same size as or smaller than the individual areas 60 through 75 so that they can be superimposed on these areas during the casting of the popular votes. The votes can be be made distinctive by color, for example the votes 81 can be red, the votes 82 can be yellow, the votes 83 can be blue and the votes 84 can be green. Thus, the marker and the votes for a particular player have the same color code. The votes particular to each player have the following denominations: 10, 25, 50, and 100. Each vote card is designated with one of these denominations on its one face, but the other side is devoid of any indication of the denomination.

The apparatus also includes receipts or receipt cards for each of the vote-getting practice areas. These receipt cards are color-coded the same as the vote-getting practice areas they represent as illustrated in FIG. 6; this facilitates playing of the game. There are illustrated a representative sample of receipt cards 85 through 88 which function as receipts for respective areas in the path 11. The cards 85 represent Campaign Buttons and carry indicia indicative of twenty-five votes, the cards 86 represent Campaign Posters and carry indicia indicative of fifty votes, the cards 87 represent Billboards and carry indicia indicative of seventy-five votes, and the cards 88 represent Newspaper Ads and carry indicia indicative of one hundred votes. There are two cards each of cards 85 through 88 in the illustrated embodiment.

The apparatus also includes cards representative of the electoral votes of each State. Representative electoral votes 89 through 93 are illustrated in FIG. 7. Each electoral vote card states the name of the State and the number of electoral votes.

In describing the method of play, it will be assumed that there are four players. The player who serves as election judge initially has custody of the markers 76 through 79, the popular vote cards 81, 82 and so forth, instructional cards 53, receipt cards 85, 86, and so on. The players can either select the markers they desire or they can be assigned by chance, as by rolling the dice 80. It is apparent that other forms of chance means besides dice, for example a spinner or cards can be used in the apparatus. The players place their markers initially in the area 13. The election judge now gives each player 8 cards of ten popular votes of the distinctive color or designation for the respective player. The players roll the dice 80 in turn and advance their respective markers along the path 11 in accordance with the number shown on the dice 80. Assuming the first player, that is, the player with the marker 76 rolls a four using the dice 80, that player will land his marker 76 on the area 17. That player will now receive one of the two receipt cards 88 from the election judge. Each of the other players in turn receives a receipt card upon landing on a vote-getting area. There are only a finite number of receipt cards, namely two for each type of vote-getting practice in the illustrated embodiment. When the election judge no longer has any receipt cards 85, 86 and so on, the player or players landing on the respective area along the path 11 do not receive any receipt card. For example, assuming the first player has a card 88 for Newspaper Ads, that player can receive one hundred votes 81 when he lands on any area 17, 27, 37 or 47. Let it be assumed that the first player, upon the next roll of the dice, rolls a ten and thus lands on area 27. Upon surrendering the receipt card 88, acquired when that player landed on area 17, to the election judge, the first player receives 100 votes in that player's color, red, for example for the first player, in the denomination he desires. Any player can receive popular votes of his color whenever he surrenders to the election judge a certificate representative of the vote-getting practice upon which he lands. The election judge can pass out the surrendered receipt card 88 to the same player or another player that lands on one of the areas 17, 27, 37 or 47. Play proceeds until one of the players has traveled around the path 11 three times. Each player is, however, afforded the same number of turns.

Each time a plyer lands on an instructional area 18, 28 38 or 48 and areas 23, 33 and 43, that player has to follow the appropriate instruction as indicated on the respective card 53 or on the board 10. The instructional cards 53 are placed face down in a stack so that there is an element of surprise when a player draws the top card. When one player has made three passes around the path 11 and the other players have each had the same number of turns rolling the dice, the players will have acquired various numbers of popular votes 81 through 84 in their respective colors. The election judge now designates the sequence in which the election will proceed among the States in the region 54. Assuming the election judge decides the order of voting will be successively Pennsyltucky, Minninois, Oklaraska, Mippississi, and Idakota, areas 60 through 64, the players place some, or none or all their votes first on area 60. The players place their vote cards face down so that the other players cannot see how many votes are being placed on that area. Voting progresses in the determined sequence throughout all the States in region 54. The player having the highest number of popular votes for area 60 wins all five electoral votes and is presented with the respective electoral vote card by the election judge. The player receiving the least number of electoral votes must now drop out from the election. If the losing (or drop out) player was not initially the election judge, the losing player now becomes the election judge for the duration of the game. Now the remaining players repeat the campaigning process of rolling the dice 80 and passing around the path 11 until one of the players has made three complete passes around the path 11 past Campaign Begins area 13 and the other players have had the same number of turns at rolling the dice 80. The positions of the markers 76 through 79 from the first three passes around the path 11 had not been disturbed and the players start the repeat campaigning process in these positions. Popular votes are acquired in the same manner as described above. The election judge now decides the sequence of the voting in region 55 and the players cast their votes by placing them face down on the areas 65 through 68. The player with the most popular votes on a particular State area earns all the electoral votes for that State. The player with the least cumulative number of electoral votes for the regions 54 and 55 drops out of the game. Play between the remaining two players proceeds in the same manner for region 56. The player with a predetermined number of electoral votes for all the regions 54, 55 and 56, namely 37 electoral votes is declared to be the winner by the election judge.

In an alternate method of play, all the players can stay in the game until they have all voted in all the regions 54, 55 and 56, in which event the player with the highest number of electoral votes is declared the winner.

Other embodiments and modifications of this invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and all such of these as come within the spirit of this invention are included within its scope as best defined by the appended claims.